Microbiology and the Environment

U.S. Geological Survey microbiology efforts span the disciplines and cover many broad research areas, including fish and wildlife health and disease, climate change, microbial ecology, public health and water quality, geomicrobiology, and ecosystem function. More about USGS Microbiology

Photo: Ofu, American Samoa – an example of a remote field site where simple methods that can preserve samples for three days of traveling to return

An article published in the January 2013 issue of FEMS Microbiology Ecology by microbiologists at the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center compared a variety of methods that can be used to preserve mixed bacterial samples in the field for DNA analysis back in the laboratory. The team evaluated both practical factors such as cost and ease of use, as well as more specific scenarios including not having access to a freezer or being unable to transport samples containing flammable chemicals or liquids.